Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to use (a) vaccination and (b) other treatments, including antivirals amongst vulnerable groups in winter 2023.

On 25 January 2023, the Government accepted interim advice from the JCVI to plan to offer a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in autumn 2023 to those at higher risk of severe COVID-19. The Government will confirm the approach to autumn vaccination for COVID-19 once final advice is received from the JCVI later this year.

JCVI’s 2023/24 seasonal influenza (flu) advice was published on 30 November 2022 confirming its advice on which vaccines should be prioritised for various at-risk groups. NHS England will publish the 2023/24 reimbursement letter and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will publish the annual flu letter in due course. These will set out details about which cohorts will be offered a free flu vaccine and which vaccines they will be offered.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that can be serious, especially for infants. An RSV monoclonal antibody is offered to a very small group of at-risk infants from each autumn which is the beginning of the annual RSV season. The JCVI is reviewing new products for potentially improving and expanding the RSV immunisation offer. The Government will announce these in due course.

COVID-19 patients in England whose immune system means they are at the highest risk from COVID-19, and who test positive for the virus, can currently directly access antiviral treatments through the National Health Service at any time of year. For flu, the UKHSA will recommend the appropriate timing for antiviral medicines to be prescribed and supplied in both primary and secondary care for patients in clinical at-risk group.